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KOHIMA — The Government of India has once again tagged eight districts and 21 police stations in five other districts of Nagaland as ‘disturbed area’ under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 for another six months with effect from April 1.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification on March 27, stating that AFSPA has been extended in Dimapur, Niuland, Chümoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, and Peren districts.
The Act also covers areas under the jurisdiction of 21 police stations -- five in Kohima, six each in Zunheboto and Mokokchung, three in Wokha and one in Longleng.
The 21 police stations are Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha police stations in Kohima district; Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem, and Anaki 'C' police stations in Mokokchung district; Yanglok police station in Longleng District; Bhandari, Champang, and Ralan police stations in Wokha District; and Ghatashi, Pughohoto, Satakha, Suruhoto, Zunheboto and Aghunato police stations in the Zunheboto district.
As per the notification, the government took the step following a review of the law and order situation in the state of Nagaland.
The AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland since 1958. The controversial law has been partially lifted in the state after decades of enforcement in the whole of Nagaland following the killing incident in Mon districts in 2021.
The disturbed area notification was withdrawn from 18 police stations in eight districts of Nagaland in 2022 and 2023. Furthermore, the districts of Tuensang, Shamator, and Tseminyu are free from the Act.
The MHA has also extended AFSPA for another six months in certain districts of Arunachal Pradesh. The districts that fall under the AFSPA regime are Tirap, Changlang and Longding, as well as areas under the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur, and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district, bordering Assam.